Bangladesh cricket suffer major setback as big Indian brand likely to end sponsorship deals with players: Reports

Bangladesh cricket could be heading for another major setback amid the ongoing standoff with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), with reports suggesting that leading Indian cricket equipment brand SG is considering ending its sponsorship deals with several of their cricketers.

According to sources, SG has put its Bangladesh-related sponsorship plans on hold following the recent deterioration in cricketing and political ties between India and Bangladesh. While no official announcement has been made yet, the development has raised serious concerns for Bangladesh cricket.

SG has been one of the most prominent equipment suppliers in Bangladesh cricket for years. Apart from sponsoring multiple national players, the Indian brand has a strong presence in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), where a large number of batters use SG equipment.

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Bangladesh T20I captain Litton Das is understood to be among the players who have individual sponsorship deals with SG. Other notable names reportedly associated with the brand include Test specialist Mominul Haque and rising batter Yasir Ali. Reports suggest that SG was nearing the renewal phase of several contracts but has now hit the pause button due to recent developments.

Why is SG likely to pull out?

The situation has escalated following the controversy involving Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman. The BCCI instructed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur from their IPL 2026 squad earlier this month. While no official reason was provided by either the BCCI or KKR, the decision was widely believed to be linked to political pressure amid reports of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh.

Soon after, the Bangladesh Cricket Board announced its reluctance to send the national team to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup, citing security concerns. All of Bangladesh’s league matches are scheduled to be played in India. The BCB also requested the ICC to move their matches to a neutral venue, but the request was reportedly turned down.

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The BCB then sent a second letter to the ICC, explaining the security concerns in detail. The Bangladesh government has also banned the broadcast of IPL 2026 in their country over the removal of Mustafizur from the KKR squad. Mustafizur has since secured a deal with the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for their 2026 season.